USGA: "Unfortunate Mr. King has that point of view."

Annoucing the 2020 U.S. Open at Winged Foot, Golf Channel's Jimmy Roberts posed this of USGA Championship Committee chair Tom O'Toole regarding comments made last week by Taylor Made CEO Mark King.:

JIMMY ROBERTS:  Of course the United States Golf Association not only involved in conducting great championships but also making the Rules of Golf along with The R&A, and this week some news, TaylorMade CEO Mark King had some rather harsh comments about the United States Golf Association in regard to the anchoring ban.  Let's take a look at his quote:

He said, "Here's the prediction.  The USGA within 10 years will be a non‑entity, they will be a non‑factor within golf because they are choosing to be on the outside, and no one is signing up for what they represent."  He goes on to say, "Industry is going to move away from them and pass them.  They're obsolete.  I hate to say that, but that's their behavior."

Some rather strident talk from him.  Your thoughts on that, Tom?

TOM O'TOOLE JR.:  Well, unfortunate Mr. King has that point of view.  I'm sorry to have read those remarks.  As you know when we suggested the proposed ban on anchoring, we said that we would have a comment period until the end of February, and the USGA has maintained that we would not speak during that comment but listen, and we've done that, not just Mr. King's remarks but from a variety of mediums, and we'll hold pat until the end of February and then we'll along with our partners at The R&A have some response.  But that's our position at this juncture.

JIMMY ROBERTS:  I think a bigger question, though, is there any concern about bifurcation, two sets of rules?

TOM O'TOOLE JR.:  Well, that bifurcation has been a discussion around the golf game for a long time.  I think you know and many know that it's a difficult thing to govern the game, and it's not popular, and our position has been that the game would not be benefitted by bifurcation, and that's still our position.